Name: Trump Expresses Support for H-1B Visa Program as Musk Vows to Defend It
Uploaded: 2024-12-29T01:20:36.000Z
Description: President-elect Donald Trump spoke favorably of H-1B visas for highly skilled workers in an interview with The New York Post on Dec. 28, appearing to align himself with Elon Musk in the ongoing heated debate over the issue.

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

China’s Broken Promises Loom Over New Trade Deals

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Californians React as Trump Calls for Gas Tax Suspension

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Federal Agencies Announce ‘Summer Surge’ of Law Enforcement into DC Ahead of 250th Anniversary

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Trump Administration Reports Zero Border Releases

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

US to Host 1st Ever World Cup Final Halftime Show, Featuring Shakira, Madonna

Savannah Pointer is a politics reporter for The Epoch Times. She can be reached at savannah.pointer@epochtimes.us

Savannah Hulsey Pointer

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Health News

Texas Children's Hospital to Open First-Ever Detransition Clinic Under Deal With DOJ

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Citizens Honor Police for Their Service and Sacrifice

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Trump ‘Projecting American Influence and Leadership’ on Iran Issue in Beijing: China Expert

Chris Bob is a reporter for NTD and a host of "Profiles of Service." He is also a small business owner. Chris graduated from Union College with a concentration in politics and religion in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Chris Bob

Senate Panel Advances Crypto Regulation Bill

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Lawmakers Weigh ‘Sanctuary’ Polices After Woman’s Death in Virginia

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

President-elect Donald Trump spoke favorably of H-1B visas for highly skilled workers in an interview with The New York Post on Dec. 28, appearing to align himself with Elon Musk in the ongoing heated debate over the issue.

“I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them,” Trump <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/28/us-news/donald-trump-backs-h-1b-visa-program-supported-by-elon-musk/">told</a> the outlet in a telephone interview. “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”

The H-1B visa program allows up to 65,000 highly skilled foreign workers annually, plus 20,000 foreigners who obtained an advanced degree from a U.S. institution, to fill specialized roles in the U.S. workforce.

Musk, a former foreign student, initially gained U.S. work status through an H-1B visa and recently <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/musk-vows-to-defend-h-1b-visa-program-amid-criticism-5782984">defended</a> the program for helping drive innovation and economic growth in the United States. Critics have argued the program undermines domestic job opportunities and lowers wages.

In his first term, Trump implemented restrictions on foreign worker visas and expressed criticism of the program. However, his 2024 campaign hinted at a potential shift, indicating openness to granting H-1B visas, or even green cards, to foreign-born graduates of U.S. universities.

Trump’s remarks to The Post were made a day after Musk vowed to go to “war” in defense of the H-1B visa program in response to critics calling for the visas to be eliminated.

“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B,” Musk said in a Dec. 27 <a class="article-hover-class" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1872860577057448306" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on social media platform X, in response to a <a class="article-hover-class" href="https://x.com/stevenmackeyman/status/1872859034187121151" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comment</a> suggesting that the H-1B program should be “optimized” out of existence.

Earlier, Musk said in a Dec. 25 <a class="article-hover-class" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1871978282289082585" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">post</a> that the United States needed to double its number of engineers, citing a shortage of “super talented” and “super motivated” individuals. While he expressed preference for hiring Americans, Musk stressed the importance of legal immigration for attracting the top 0.1 percent of engineering talent.
<div class="my-5">While Musk has argued that U.S. immigration policies should prioritize attracting top global talent, critics contend that the program often displaces domestic workers and drives down wages.</div>
Musk’s endorsement of the visas has triggered heated debate online, as well as some opposition from factions within Trump’s political base and from conservatives more broadly.

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, proposed reforms to the H-1B visa program that align tech industry interests with immigration restrictionists. In a recent <a href="https://cis.org/Krikorian/Oped-Where-Tech-Right-and-Restrictionists-Can-Agree">op-ed</a>, he advocated prioritizing higher-salaried, highly skilled workers to attract top talent while limiting overall visa numbers, addressing a key concern of Trump voters.

Krikorian suggested replacing the visa lottery and certain “chain-migration” categories with a merit-based system, reallocating visas to skilled workers on the basis of factors like education level and existing job offers. This approach, he argued, would increase skilled immigration while reducing overall immigration levels.

Countries like Canada and Australia use merit-based points systems of the type Krikorian has suggested. While there have been legislative efforts in the United States to adopt a merit-based system for guest worker visas, none have succeeded.

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-expresses-support-for-h-1b-visa-program-5783086">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

trump

Elon Musk

Videos

Business News

Politics

01_Lead Story

04_Top Stories

workforce

Premium Picks

Latest Clips

Management

Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.

Tom Ozimek

02_Second Lead

Donald Trump

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.

Trump Expresses Support for H-1B Visa Program as Musk Vows to Defend It

North Korean Troops Experience Mass Casualties on Ukraine Front Lines: White House

Putin Apologizes to Azerbaijani Leader for ‘Tragic Incident’ Involving Crashed Azerbaijani Plane

Elderly Woman Stabbed to Death in 'Terrorist Attack'

North Korea, Others Trying to Influence Election System in South Korea to Sway It Towards Being Friendly to Communist Mentality: International Military Strategist